Will There Actually Be A Metal Gear Solid Movie? Here's Everything We Know

Hollywood has a long history of bringing video games to the screen, often with mixed results. Even though several video game movies have bombed at the box office, it hasn't stopped studios from trying to cash in on their popularity and make them accessible for general audiences. Naturally, Hideo Kojima's Metal Gear Solid franchise has caught the attention of filmmakers, but it's taking a minute to get up and running.

The "Metal Gear Solid" movie was first announced in 2006, with filmmakers such as Kurt Wimmer and Paul W.S. Anderson slated to direct the feature in the years that followed. Elsewhere, Christian Bale declared his interest in playing the protagonist, Solid Snake, but that ultimately never happened, leading fans to believe that this flick was destined to rot in development hell forever.

That said, other filmmakers and actors have been attached to the project since then, and the movie remains a work in progress. With that in mind, here's everything we know about the "Metal Gear Solid" movie.

Movement on the "Metal Gear Solid" adaptation has been quiet for a while now, but don't go writing it off just yet, as the filmmakers believe that it will become one of those movies that escapes development hell. While speaking to Game, producer Avi Arad gave an update on the long-gestating project, revealing that it's far from dead.

"We're working on the script some more, but I can't talk about it yet," he said. "I think everyone's going to be really excited and surprised." The "Borderlands" producer is keeping the finer details close to the vest for now, but his words suggest that he's optimistic about the movie seeing the light of day.

Furthermore, it seems that the filmmakers are adamant about getting this one right, which is a good idea since Arad's "Borderlands" movie bombed at the box office and received flak for being nothing like its source material. For this one, though, the creators want to make a movie that will please fans of the games.

As previously mentioned, Jordan Vogt-Roberts is currently slated to helm the "Metal Gear Solid" movie. The "Kong: Skull Island" director has been attached to the project since 2014, and he's determined to get it off the ground, as he's passionate about the franchise.

During an interview with E3 in 2021, Vogt-Roberts discussed his passion for "Metal Gear Solid" and how the games have inspired his own art. "That game and [Hideo] Kojima-san's world means the world to me, and that's something ... I'm very proud of what we're doing. I think that [the movie] is very Kojima, punk rock, twisty."

Of course, Hollywood is a strange beast, and people depart from projects all the time. It's possible that someone could step in for Vogt-Roberts down the line. For now, though, it seems that he's still on board, and his "Metal Gear Solid" fandom makes him a worthy choice to helm an adaptation.

The "Metal Gear Solid" movie promises to embrace the spirit of the games, so viewers can undoubtedly expect an action movie about Solid Snake carrying out dangerous missions. The current plot summary notes that it will chronicle the aforementioned hero's attempt to retrieve a tank that's been stolen by a terrorist group, but it remains to be seen if this will be the story when it's all said and done. That said, fans shouldn't expect this to be a basic action movie — and no "Metal Gear Solid" adaptation should be.

In the aforementioned interview with Game, Avi Arad said that the adaptation will be a contemplative affair. The games certainly feature plenty of action-packed carnage, but they're also celebrated for their satirical qualities and anti-war sentiments. There are layers to these games, and Arad's words tease an adaptation that combines spectacle with brains.

Of course, let's not forget that the Metal Gear Solid games contain supernatural and science fiction elements. Director Jordan Vogt-Roberts revealed that this will be a core aspect of the adaptation, so fans can look forward to seeing some of that weirdness on the screen. The filmmaker also intends to embrace the games' Japanese quirks, such as heightened melodrama and off-kilter humor. It's clear that he's a fan, so maybe this won't be another generic video game movie after all.

Oscar Isaac joined Sony's "Metal Gear Solid" movie in 2020, and he was given the honorary role of Solid Snake. In 2022, the Dune and Star Wars alum provided an update on the project, revealing that the film's creators were actively working on the story. However, Isaac has reportedly parted ways with the long-gestating video game adaptation since then, presumably due to the length of time it's taking to get up and running.

Isaac is also a busy man who's attached to a slew of upcoming projects. He's part of the monster cast of Guillermo del Toro's "Frankenstein" movie, playing the titular doctor who creates the infamous monster. Elsewhere, he's set to reprise the role of Miguel O'Hara in "Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse" and voice Jesus Christ in "The King of Kings." Furthermore, Isaac wants to play Moon Knight again in a Marvel team-up movie, suggesting that "Metal Gear Solid" isn't his main future priority.

At the same time, the actor has yet to confirm that he's left "Metal Gear Solid," so it's possible that he's still involved. The actor has been vocal about wanting to play Solid Snake since 2019, indicating that he's passionate about the character. Here's hoping that he will eventually get the chance to portray the super soldier on the screen, but as it stands, no cast members have been officially confirmed.

While the film's creators are optimistic about "Metal Gear Solid" seeing the light of day, fans are telling a different story. After all, the movie has been stuck in development hell for over a decade and reportedly lost its lead star, so it's understandable why some folks assume it's a dead horse. With that in mind, let's find out why fans don't believe they'll ever see this flick.

"It's just not super filmable and it wouldn't be successful at the box office. There's not really a good market for it. Like it's just never gonna have mass appeal, historically video game movies flop. On top of that, MGS is just REALLY weird," u/Holiest_ Diver wrote.

Redditor u/virishking echoed this sentiment, adding that the Metal Gear Solid franchise isn't as important as it used to be, meaning that there might not be an audience for the movie. "It's not 2007 anymore where half the video game references you'd hear were RE4, FFVII, Halo, Ocarina of Time, and MGS."

Of course, only time will tell if these arguments have any merit. For the time being, it seems that the filmmakers are serious about making the movie, but it remains to be seen if the system will accommodate their ambitions.